Article-feeding mechanism



G. Wx WHEELWRIGHT.

ARTICLE FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17. 1916.

1,330,964. Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

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6 1 [5 9 f: limmlmm E 'INZENTOR A TTORNE Y UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. WHEELWRIGHT, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN CAN COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

ARTICLE-FEEDING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 17, 1920.

Application filed April 17, 1916. Serial No. 91,776.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. VI-IEEL- wniou'r. a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark. in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Article- Feeding Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to mechanism for separating and discharging single articles successively from a positioned supply of articles, and is adapted to operate in conjunction with any machine that performs some operation on articles successively.

The invention comprises positive mechanism for selecting and discharging a single article, such, for example, as acam end, and is so connected and operated that its action will be unfailing and perfectly timed.

As illustrated in the accompanying drawings I have shown it separate from an operating machine, but have illustrated means for connecting it to a moving part of such a machine.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a supporting plate on which are mounted interconnected rocking members and means for maintainmg a positioned supply of can ends.

Figs. 2 and 3 are similar views showing the operating parts in different positions.

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a side view taken in direction of the arrow 5 on Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a right angle sectional view taken on line 66 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 7 is a right angle sectional view taken on line 77 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a right angle sectional view taken on line 88 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic View showing the line of movement of the separating and discharging members 7, 8', 9' and 10'.

The entire feed mechanism is mounted on a plate or bed 1 having an opening through which the articles are discharged; four rods 2 form avertical stack support; arranged approximately equidistant are four rocking members 3, 4, 5, and 6 connected by links 7, 8, 9 and 10. .The rocker 3 has an arm 3 and an operating link 3" which is attached to a moving part of a machine.

The separating elements of this device are the links 7, 8, 9 and 10 carrying knife edge members 7, 8, 9, and 10'; the links 7 and 9 constitute a pair and the links 8 and 10 constitute an alternate pair. The knife edge separators 7 and 9 lie in a plane at a distance equal to the thickness of a can end or other article, below the separators 8 and 10.

In Fig. 1 the rockers 3, 4, 5 and 6 are shown at one limit of their stroke, the spring 11 being under tension, and the separators 8 and 10 extending under the stack and supporting it as shown at 8, Fig. 8, while the separators 7 and 9 are outside the zone of the stack, as shown at 9, Fig. 8. As the link 3 moves in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, the rockers 3, 4, 5 and 6 will move in the direction of the arrows as shown, and the links 7 and 9 carrying the knife edge separators 7' and 9 will move under the stack of can ends and the members 8' and 10 will move away from the stack.

The path of travel of the members 7, 8', 9' and 10 is graphically illustrated in Fig. 9.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show the changing positions of the various parts as the change progresses in a complete movement of the device; the pairs 7 and 9 alternate with the pairs 8 and 10 in working within and without the zone of the can end stack, the operation being as follows: Fig. 1 and Fig. 8 are companion views; the pair of elements 7 and 9 are outside the stack zone and the pair of elements 8 and 10 are within the stack zone, and by reference to Fi 8 a can end has just been released and 1s falling away from the bottom of the stack. A movement of the parts from their positions in Fig. 1 to that shown in Figs. 2 and 3 and back again to Fig. 1 would repeat the cycle and drop another can end. After the can end has dropped away as shown in Fig. 8 the pair of elements 8 and 10' are supporting the stack and just beginning to move away from the stack and the pair 7' and 9' will move into the stack; as the elements 8' and 10 release the stack it will drop down onto the elements 7 and 9' a distance equal to the thickness of one can end and be thereby supported until the elements 8 and 10' again enter the stack as at Fig. 7 and support the same, leaving the lowermost end ments 7 and 9.

. sition given to the elements, 7 9', 8' and 10' bers in alternating pairs, whereby free to drop as soon as released by the ele- The alternate rocking poproduces ,a successive dropping of single can ends.

The spring 11 is not needed where the link 3 is connected .to positive movmg mechanism but would be necessary where the arm 3 was deflected by passing mechanism; where it was so deflected the normal p0- sition of the mechanism would be as in Fig. 3.

What is claimed is:

1. In an apparatus for releasing 1nd1v1dual articles; a support for a stack of articles; a plurality of pairs of rocker members mounted adjacent said support; and link members connecting said rocker memas the rocker members are moved, the alternating link members move into and out of thezone of the stack of articles, whereby a single articles is released.

2. In an apparatus for releasing individual articles;.'a support for a supply of superposed articles; rocker members mounted adjacentsaid support; a plurahty of airs of links connectin said rocker mem and separating an releasing members carried by said links, wherebyas the sa1d rocker members are moved the said se rating members alternately support the sai su ply of articles and operated to separate an release an individual article.

3. An apparatus for releasing individual articles from a supply of articles, comprising means for supporting a supply of in-.

dividual articles; and rocking means operating and controlling o positely dlsposed and alternately acting re easing means, all the parts of said rockin means having l1nks which connect them a together, whereby each complete cycle of movement of said rocker means an individual article is re-.

leased from said su ply. l

4. An apparatus or releasm mdivldual articles from a supply ofartic es, compr1sing members for supporting a supply of individual articles; rocking means operatlng and controlling oppositely disposed andalternately acting releasing means comprismg links that engage the articles at ints between the ivots of the links, w ereby at each comp ete cycle of movement of said rocker means an individual article is released from said supply.

5. An apparatus for releasin individualarticles from a supply so articles, comprising means for supporting a supply of individual articles; and rocln'ng means operating and controlling oppositely disposed and alternately acting releasing means comprising links that engage the articles at points between the pivots of the links, whereby at each complete cycle of movement of said rocker means an individual article is released from said supply, while the supply is supported by one of the means.

6. An apparatusfor re easing individual articles from a stack, comprising means for maintaining a stack ofjindividual articlesand pairs of roc members all connec together and simu taneously moving and controlling oppositely disposed and alternately acting releasing and stack support- .ing means, whereby at each complete cycle .of movementof said rocker means an 1ndividual article is released from said su 7. An apparatus for releasin indivi ual articles from a supply of articfes, comprising means for maintaining a supply of individual articles; and rocking means pivotally attached to links which constitute opipositely disposed, alternately act releaslng means, said links being p'iv ends to said rocking means, whereb at each at both complete cycle of movement of said rocker .means an individual article is, released from said supply.

8. An apparatus for releasing individual articles from a supply of articles, comprismeans for malntaining a supply of individual articles; and a plurality of 'pairs of.

rocking members, and pivotally connectin l1nks which constitute oppositely dispose alternately acting releasing means that enthe articles, whereby at each complete cyc e of movement of said rocker members an individual article is released from said pp g 9. apparatus for releasing can ends from the bottom of a stack: comprising supports for maintainin a stack of can ends; and pairs of roclnng members and links connected with said rocking members and constituting alternately acting releasin means having projectin members arrange at points between the pivots of the links to enter between individual articles and separate and release them from the said stack.

10. In combination; a can end stack support; a plurali-t of pairs of rockin members arranged a ut said sup ort and pivotally mounted; links pivota ly connecting said rocker members; and can end se arating means carried 'by said links and a a ted to be moved between superposed can end; in said support.

11. In conrbination: pairs of can end supporting and releasing devices arranged vices, pivotally connecting said arms in pairs and oppositely movable inward and outward thereby to release successive can ends.

13. The combination of a staclr hOldlIl means, rocker arms having fixed pivots an arranged around said stack holdlng means, links extending from one rocker arm to another and pivotally connected therewith,

and article-separating and supporting members carried by said links, whereby the oscillation of the pivoted system of said arms and links causes the alternate inward and outward movement of said separating and supporting members and the feed of articles 15 from a stack of the same.

14. The combination of article-holding means and article-separating means, and a system of alternating rockers and hnks all movably connected with each other, each 20 rocker being connected with two links and each link being connected with two rockers, and connected with said article-separating means, to actuate the latter for the feeding of articles from said holdin means.

In testimony whereof I a x my signature.

GEORGE W. WHEELWRIGHT. 

